Still scared- am I making the right decision?

You're welcome!  I will let you know how my surgery goes - and I hope yours goes well, too!

 

I'm not sure who made the "rude" comment to you either I've blocked them or they've blocked me. I have to think it's a newbie know it all. So often we see new post-ops thinking they will be "perfect" forever, forever is a LONG time and I would bet money on it no one will be perfect forever.

I'm 8 1/2 years out so I'll share my experience. I didn't touch a sweet until about 14 months out. I reached goal in 9 months and then wanted to be sure to optimize the honeymoon period and learn all I could to have a shot at long-term success. I've done well, below goal and maintaining.

I do have some sweets occasionally and a diet coke also (usually about 1/2 of one it takes me most of the day to drink one). There are limits to how much I can eat, I don't dump but get nauseated if I overdo it.

Not totally uncommon to be scared and unsure of what you are about to do. It does change your life. Saying that I'm committed to doing this for life. It's worth the changes made with zero regrets.

Try to look at the positive aspects of why you are doing this. Those positives should out weigh any negatives. If they don't, then step back and reevaluate if you are ready and committed to make these changes. If not that's ok when you are ready you will know it. There is no shame in waiting if that's what you feel is the best for you.

I looked into WLS 3 years before I actually did it. I knew at that point I wasn't ready to change. In addition to making food choice changes you need to be committed to taking vitamins the rest if your life.

Good luck!

Thanks- yes, I have been down this road before, even have started the process a couple times and then changed my mind for those exact reasons.  I know I am ready now and am committed, but I think now that it is getting close I am having some last minute panic.  I suppose it is common, and I do have some anxiety issues to begin with so I am willing to chalk it up to that.  My family doctor and I have talked about this procedure extensively and I have discussed this and gone through the positives and negatives with my husband and in my mind millions of times and the positives far outweigh the negatives.

matter of fact, it has become a medical necessity for me to make this change and I am doing the work already and am satisfied with eating and actually don't crave things as much as I thought I would.  It is just the thought of 'those times' that I did have the urge, and would (now) allow myself- post op, could I still?  I think I have a better grasp on it now that I have talked it out too. 

I felt the same way. I often still say (in life and on these forums) I did not have this surgery to never enjoy my favorites again. I will admit that during the first 6 months I was very strict in what I put in my mouth because honestly I couldn't get much in and I knew I had to get the protein in. After 6 months I could get a bit more in and had reached my doctor's "maintenance" weight and was allowed more things but all I did was add some carbs in after my protein maybe twice a week. After one year I was having a carb side probably 5 days a week and If I wanted a candy bar I had a fun sized one and didn't eat a carb side at dinner. Do I eat them every day? nope but I do have a treat here and there. I thought pop would be the hardest thing to give up as I loved my diet pepsi however hard it was at first it's funny because I can NOT stand the taste of it now. I have not had more than one taste of pop since surgery and that ONE taste had me spitting and yukking for about a half hour while my family laughed lol.

I do allow myself to have a ICEE when I want the taste of pop that isn't yucky but I don't drink them all the time, and I'm not sure why they taste good when pop tastes so nasty now!

I had a tootsie roll on Halloween, a small one. didn't kill me, didn't put me over on my calories, I didn't dump and I was satisfied. Now could I eat a big candy bar like I did preop NO for several reasons. My blood sugar would crash and I'd need a nap, they don't taste as good as I remember, and thirdly I don't have room for one anymore. I know some report about how much they can eat but my reality is I can eat two slices of ham for lunch and be full.

You may be one of the small percent who dump and won't be able to have any candy or desserts but you won't know until you're there unfortunately. It takes a LOT of sugar for me to dump. I still can have a slice of pumpkin bread, I can still have ONE cookie etc with no issue as long as I have protein close to the time I eat it so I don't crash.

While this is what I CHOOSE to do and allow myself a 5 pound weight swing it is my choice. (I"m sure some will read this and gasp like I did going into the surgery when I said I would NEVER do that!) For other's it's the way they live going forward. How you take your journey is up to you. I would suggest sticking to plan until you reach goal though. Then examine if you can do moderation or not. If you can do it, if you can't then examine why and if you can change it and make the decision then.

I think you'll be surprised by what you crave after being off carbs or on minimal carbs for so long.

Well, I felt the same fear.  I asked my friend who is two years out and she eats a few bites of whatever she wants so I don't feel so deprived.

First of all - congratulations with the 25 pounds you have already lost. I had exactly the same fears than you. My RNY was 5 months ago in Switzerland. They have a very different approach here - I had no pre-op diet, I ate normal food 3 days after my surgery and my plan allows carbs at every meal. When I told my NUT that I feel like something sweet, she told me to have a piece of chocolate. 

So this is what I learned in 5 months. Food will always be my achilles - I will have to  be diligent for the rest of my life. I am not a dumper, so I can eat anything and I therefore need to ensure that I do not keep any trigger foods in my house. It is very hard to change habits, so I was a snacker in the evenings and  I still want to snack in the evening, so I do my best not to graze, but I have a meal and a snack in the evening. I sm by far not perfect and the all or nothing approach does not work for me. I went to Paris last week and a chose to have a crepe, since It is important for me to feel like a " normal" person and I always have a crepe when I go to Paris. Right or wrong, but I do not feel guilty about it, because it is a once off.  What however is more challenging for me it to handle the daily cravings and to ensure that I always make the healthy choice. 

I can only speak for me and 12 years ago I had my RNY and I'm still thankful every single day! It works, it's easy if you follow the rules, it works and I love it. Everyone has second thoughts - this is drastic and it's a complete lifestyle change. But after while you can have dessert or a piece of candy. You can have a soda (if your doc says it's ok). My diet is NORMAL. I eat what a "normal" person eats. This is all about relearning how to eat, feeling full and MODERATION. Most of us have our taste buds change after surgery- that candy bar that was sooooo gooood before surgery isn't so good after but we get really excited for cheese sticks - and in different flavors??? Cheddar, motzarella. both twisted together? OMG - it's amazing what looks and tastes good after surgery. Personally, i don't dump, I'm glad I don't and I allow myself some things (again in moderation) that would be a big no no if I was dieting. I have a piece of cake at a wedding - I take a piece, eat a few bites, am satisfied and throw the rest away. I have a couple Hershey kisses, I drink a diet coke every once in a while. I know that protein forward or protein only meals are the way I have to eat the rest of my life - I feel better with protein packed meals. I can have a cup of coffee and a half a cookie occasionally. Not a biggie but I have to remember it's in moderation and only after my protein forward meal. I find it works for me - along with lots of exercise and lots of water. I still have WOW moments, I still love my RNY and I do eat like a normal person - steak and salad for dinner, turkey and mashed potatoes for thanksgiving, a christmas cookie during the holidays. I'm not deprived but I'm not out of control either. Finding a happy medium and what works for you is the key. This is truly amazing, the journey is not to be missed. To lose weight, know it's gone for good and to tune into your body so you know what you need to eat and when is a great feeling. That out of control is gone, and being in control and self confident takes it's place. Good luck to you - it's amazing!

Jen 12 yrs post op RNY

Thanks for "getting it" - that's what my question really was-- not all this bologna about not being committed to a change.  I just simply wanted to know that if, ever, I can have a moderate treat of some kind -- geez-- what a red button that subject is on these forums, huh?

I had my surgery and am on week out-- doing fine and feeling great, except for some nausea a couple days, and now a 'sour' feeling whenever I do a vitamin or "Tums 1000" for calcium.  Hope it is just still healing and nothing more.  :)

 

So now that you are three days away--how are you feeling?

Hope you are 100% ready and excited!

I felt the same way.But I keep a picture in my head of a small plastic chair at an outside restuarant and I am too big for the chair.I don't fit into booths when we go to dinner.I would rather fit into places then to be ashamed.We can at one point eat sugar free candy.I have no regrets.